1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image reading apparatus includes a light-receiving element for converting detected light into an electrical signal, and electrically processes an image on an original by converting the detected light reflected by the original having the image to be read into the electrical signal by the light-receiving element. In such image reading apparatuses, many of the image reading apparatuses generally read an image on an original by an image reading unit through procedures such as opening a pressure plate which is openable/closable, placing the original on a glass plate under which an image reading unit is provided, closing the pressure plate so that the original is pressed by the pressure plate, and reading the image on the original by the image reading unit.
However, such image reading apparatuses require many procedures for reading the image such as opening and closing the pressure plate, which makes an operation at the time of reading the image burdensome. Moreover, in such conventional image reading apparatuses, the entire apparatus is apt to become larger in size because the pressure plate, which is openable/closable, for pressing the original has to be furnished with. Therefore, in the conventional image reading apparatuses, some are designed to simplify the operation for reading an image on the original and to reduce their sizes.
For example, a portable scanner described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-260402 includes a slot-in portion through which a print or photographic copy, which is regarded as an original, is inserted, provided in an outer surface of a body case, and includes an optical unit and a print support mechanism provided inside the body case. Thus, there is no need to provide a member such as a pressure plate for pressing the original and a mechanism for opening and closing the pressure plate, which realizes a downsized device. In addition, when reading an image on the original, it is possible to read the image only by inserting the original through the slot-in portion, which facilitates the operation for reading.
Here, in the case of the downsized image reading apparatus, it is assumed that a user uses the image reading apparatus by holding it in his/her hand. However, the portable scanner described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-260402 includes, in its body case, not only an optical unit but also a guide roller for conveying the print and a print support mechanism for pressing the print. Therefore, the size of the scanner tends to be larger because of these devices, which makes it sometimes difficult for the user to perform the reading operation of the original holding the scanner in the user's hand. In addition, if a mechanical scanning mechanism such as the guide roller for conveying a print is provided like the portable scanner described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-260402, because this mechanism is sensitive to vibration, this sometimes deteriorates image quality resulting in unclear image and it extends time for scanning at the time of reading the image.